Yūgen: A West Loop Gem

Yūgen, new to Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, is a modern Japanese fine-dining experience. Led by an impressive female team, the inspiration behind the restaurant is derived from a Zen mentality. The restaurant’s name represents the Japanese concept of “the power to conjure indescribable appreciation for the simplicity of beauty.”

Yūgen features reimagined Japanese fare inspired by Executive Chef Mari Katsumura’s heritage and classical French training. The space is reflective of Katsumura’s cuisine— clean, contemporary and elegant. The menu boasts playful, imaginative dishes such as Japanese “Chex Mix” with ramen, edamame and kombu and Takoyaki with black truffle, parmigiano and octobushi.

“It is a dream to bring a contemporary Japanese concept to life,” said Katsumura. “My mother and late father, Yoshi Katsumura, taught me early on about hospitality. I grew up in their restaurant, watching and learning what it means to build your life around the pleasure of serving others. At home, we prepared and ate traditional Japanese dishes that shortened the distance between us and my parents’ homeland. It had and continues to have tremendous influence on my desire to recreate that powerful effect in my own cooking."